Some Anthropologists Study Modern-Day Societies of Foragers in an Effort to Learn About our Ancient Ancestors who were also Foragers.

Question: Some anthropologists study modern-day societies of foragers in an effort to learn about our ancient ancestors who were also foragers. A flaw in this strategy is that forager societies are extremely varied. Indeed, any forager society with which anthropologists are familiar has had considerable contact with modern nonforager societies.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the criticism made above of the anthropologists' strategy?

(A) All forager societies throughout history have had a number of important features in common that are absent from other types of societies.
(B) Most ancient forager societies either dissolved or made a transition to another way of life.
(C) All anthropologists study one kind or another of modern-day society.
(D) Many anthropologists who study modern-day forager societies do not draw inferences about ancient societies on the basis of their studies.
(E) Even those modern-day forager societies that have not had significant contact with modern societies are importantly different from ancient forager societies.

Some anthropologists study modern-day societies of foragers in an effort to learn about our ancient ancestors who were also foragers - is a GMAT Critical reasoning question. For this type, the candidates need to provide an assumption supporting the conclusion in the passage. GMAT critical reasoning tests the logical and analytical skills of the candidates. Critical reasoning in GMAT requires candidates to find the strengths and weaknesses of the argument, or find the logical flaw in the argument. The GMAT CR section contains 10 -13 GMAT critical reasoning questions out of 36 GMAT verbal questions.

Answer: A
Explanation:

This a weaken the argument type of GMAT CR question. Candidates can answer this GMAT critical reasoning question by either finding a piece of evidence that would weaken the argument or logical flaws in the argument.

Let us check the statements and see which one would most weaken the criticism made above of the anthropologists' strategy:

1. It reassures us that, whether or not forager societies are extremely varied, they're still likely to share a variety of important features. this implies that we will study ancient foragers by studying modern foragers, whether or not those two groups have many differences. Hence option A is the correct answer.
2. We are attempting to work out whether studying modern-day societies of foragers to be told about our ancient forager ancestors could be a flawed strategy. The actual fact is given in choice (B) neither supports nor weakens the author's argument. Thus, choice (B) may be eliminated.
3. Again, we are attempting to work out if the author's criticism is valid. The actual fact that each anthropologist studies modern-day societies has no impact on the author's argument, so choice (C) should be eliminated.
4. The argument criticizes the strategy employed by some anthropologists. It makes no difference what the number of anthropologists using that strategy is. Choice (D) doesn't weaken the criticism.
5. The argument is that modern-day forager societies and ancient forager societies are so different that anthropologists cannot find out about one by studying the opposite. This statement strengthens that criticism by stressing that modern-day forager societies--even those that haven't had significant contact with modern societies--are importantly different from ancient forager societies.

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